Only a Friend
by UltraVioletSoul
Summary: What is a girl to do, when she has a crush on her best friend, other than try to hold back her feelings for fear of rejection? One-shot. David Mason x OC. Pre Black Ops II. Rewritten and complete. Spoilers.


_**Author's Note:**_

_So, yeah, I have rewritten this one since I was not satisfied with the way the original one turned out. As I previously said, s__chool had kept me busy for the most part and I had also been through a stage of depression. Hence, I did not feel like writing or doing anything for that matter. My days were mainly spent in bed, oversleeping and sleeping more. It was not until a few days ago that I began to feel a bit more inspired to actually write and make the most of it. __  
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_I am still aware that this is not my best one so far, but I just needed to blow off some steam for the time being. Thanks for the reviews, the favorites and... the follows, though I don't think they are necessary since I will not be updating this fic anymore :l_

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**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Call of Duty Black Ops II or its characters. They all belong to Activision and Treyarch. No copyright infringement intended. I am only trying to provide entertainment to the readers and by no means do I have lucrative purposes.

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They had been friends for a long time now. She had only been a kid, just like him, when she met him and, in all these years, the girl had grown quite close to the Alaskan boy. They would often spend weekends together, doing the usual things children did, relishing in the activities and interests they shared together. And while others would make fun of them, and say that it looked as if they were sweethearts, she would not take notice of their mindless blabbering and, instead, would seek the pleasant company and warmth he made her feel.

She still remembered the first day she saw him with his uncle, good old Mr. Woods. It was the summer of 1990 when they had move into her neighborhood, and were about to live in the house across from hers. It had been her Mother who had encouraged the young girl to go and talk to him, with the excuse of inviting him and Mr. Woods over for dinner, seeing as she had always had difficulty in making friends on her own. That evening she crossed the street, nervously twiddling with her fingers as she felt the uncomfortable hot air hit her skin. She could still taste the nervousness and the saltiness of the sweat on her upper lip as she rang the bell of his house. She still could feel that funny feeling in her stomach as she counted the seconds he would take to open that door, and how her breathing wavered in nervousness. _One, two, three_, she could feel his steps echoing on the other side; _four, five_, hear the key turning inside the lock; _six, seven_, the door creaking open as she rehearsed the invitation in her head.

It was futile for, as soon as she was face to face with him, the girl found herself entranced by the beauty of his child-like but sad-looking hazel eyes. David, as she came to learn was his name, looked so vulnerable, so lonely, as he timidly poked his head through the door that she felt the sudden urge to get to know him and make him feel better. It might have sounded as sympathy, at first, but she certainly understood what it felt like to be alone. He merely stared at her with a blank expression, as though he was wondering what in the world she was doing standing at his door, and the girl realized that she had been gawking at him for what seemed to be an eternity. She stuttered a few shy words to greet him, introducing herself as his neighbor who lived across the street. She noticed his dark hair was damp but he smelled fresh and clean. It made her wish she would have had the chance to take a shower herself, but her Mother had hurried her towards the front door before she could even say something.

Life was easy and sweet for a girl like her. There were no fears or sorrow plaguing her dreams and never once had she considered how lucky she was for the little things that she could enjoy in life. She had everything life could offer; two loving parents that always saw to her needs; an adorable little brother that she always was complaining about, and an innocence that still let her behold the world with the wonder of youth. The only thing that was left for David was Frank. The girl found out that he had lost his Father last Christmas. She heard it from her parents, one night, that Mr. Mason, once a Captain of the Marine Corps, had been killed in action during Operation Just Cause, and that his beloved wife had died years ago during a terrorist attack in France on New Year's Eve. She could see why the boy would feel down during Christmas time and why he could not see the beauty in it; for him, the twinkling colored lights and carols only reminded him of his parents's deaths. And she could only imagine the pain David had gone through; she now could understood why that melancholic stare lingered in his sincere eyes that regarded her with curiosity from under long lashes. Sitting on the steps of the porch with him, watching the snow fall from the dark sky above, she noticed David's jaw clench before seeing the tears roll down and his lips strain in an attempt to muffle his sobs. The girl panicked at first, and she did not know what to do other than place her hand on his shoulder before he threw himself to her arms and cried to his heart's content.

The uncontrollable sobs that shook his entire body made her chest ache and, for the first time, she knew what needed to be done, affectionately placing her arms around him as his sneaked around her waist refusing to let go. For the first time, he let his pain come out from the still open wound, desperate to get rid of the venom that was embittering him and destroying his young spirit.

Night of Christmas Eve saw two kids under the snow, and the star of good fortune faintly shone amid the dark clouds before disappearing in their thick haziness. David was looking at her with bloodshot eyes and she simply smiled at him, brushing some snow out of his dark hair. His hazel eyes were clear, showing his relief at the burden that had been lifted off of his shoulders, and she found comfort in the fact that she never failed him in his distress.

Her heart was confused; lost and scared. She had begun to see David in a new light; one she had never expected after these years and the more she thought about it the more complicated she found it to be. Harboring these feelings could be wrong; they were only friends and she knew perfectly well that David could never be interested in her. He would never think of them being something more than good friends, who had always been together through thick and thin. That was all that there would ever be between them, she kept remembering herself every time she mustered the courage to tell him about her feelings. Every time she did, there would always be this little voice in her head, telling her off and discouraging from saying something she might regret later. She was not even sure of what she felt for him, neither did the girl want to ruin her friendship with him, only to lose him forever. And for what? For her rashness and thoughtlessness? David would not look her in the eye again, but what should she make of this? Hold it back? Make it die? The answer was so simple and yet it hurt to act on what she thought was the right choice.

She should be happy in just making him smile. There was no need to fulfill her romantic interests in him. It would be fine so long as they were together. They did not need to hold hands as they walked side by side; they did not need to say 'I love you' or hug under the starry sky. They did not need to share kisses and she did not need to melt in his arms whenever those melancholic eyes gazed at her from under long lashes. There would always David and her this way. At least for a little longer.

It was just a matter of time before they were parted from each other, but she wanted to make the most of that time with him.

There had been the occasional guy who showed interest in her, but she only wanted David. She only had eyes for him, ever since they were little kids. Whenever she saw him she would have these butterflies in her stomach, and her poor heart would madly pound inside her chest. When was that things came down to this? Why could she not give up on her heart's desires? Why could she not when it told her to chase after him before it was too late; before she regretted not having taken the chance when there still was time and hope. But she dared not say a word and so the days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Long months would eventually turn into wasted years and she would always wonder if there could have been something more. Which prospect was the worst? Risking it to lose him, or facing the rest of her life with the doubt that would never go away? Would she see the contour of his face in the darkness when she slept with another man? Would she wish her unborn kids were his? Or would she eventually forget and move on?

It would not be the end of the world, right?

What was she to do when she was so close to him, walking from home to school every morning or just sitting around and watching the world go by as they merely relished in the pleasure of it? Legs went weak when he flashed that fresh and sincere smile at her, and she never missed his scent of mint, sandalwood and aftershave whenever he got close to her, skins touching ever-so-lightly. When their eyes met, she could see the little shadow of doubt in his, tentative and hopeful. He probably was worried about her strange behavior, and that fact made her ashamed. She should not be putting David through uneasiness; what if he thought she did not want to be friends with him anymore? What if in her effort to keep her feelings at bay she still lost him? He did not deserve such a thing; not a wonderful guy like him. Even if she did not stand a chance with him, she still wished he could find happiness with another girl. It would break her heart, true, to know that she was not the recipient of his love, but she would understand his choice.

She had to understand that.

"I really don't get this, Dave." The girl complained, letting her body plummet against the comfortable mattress of his bed. Her hands were in the air, and she narrowed her green eyes at the notebook in her firm grasp. "I swear I went through this a million times but I still don't know how to solve this stupid formula."

"What are you talking about?" Her friend absent-mindedly questioned, as he turned on a page from his book. The dull sound caught her attention and, curious as to what he could be doing, she craned her neck at an angle just enough to see him on profile. His tall body was leaning against the desk, an elbow against the wooden surface and cheek resting against his palm in a fashion that anyone else could have confused with boredom. However, his lightly narrowed eyes and subtly focused expression told a different story to her while he remained oblivious to her quick observation.

She tried to provide an answer, but her mouth went dry at the sight of his well-sculpted body, which easily stood out among those of his classmates at school. David was sixteen years old now, but was well-developed for his age as a result of a daily workout routine he meticulously kept, as well as a fascination for the swimming pools at school. In fact, he was one of the most proficient swimmers the school had and often did she watch him practice in the evening, before going home. Water had done a great deal to his body; he was not that skinny boy she had met years ago. While not ridiculously muscled, there had some serious fill out and she could see the changes in him; broader chest and shoulders, thicker arms and legs that showed off the results of his persistent and disciplined conditioning. He left to shame other guys, even older than him, and senior girls seemed to have taken an interest in him.

When she asked why all the workout, he explained that he was preparing himself in advance since he was planning on joining the Navy and enrolling in the Naval Academy straight out of high school. Coincidentally, its academic program was focused mainly on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. He said he still did not know what major he was going to pursue in order to graduate as an officer, but assured her that would figure it in time. She had no doubts about that; Dave not only was good-looking but also smart and sharp. Whatever he decided on, she was most sure he would make the right choice.

"Physics." She replied with a faint blush on her cheeks.

After a moment's thought staring at the wall before him, David finally lowered his gaze. "Good luck with that." He mumbled, jotting down some notes on his own notebook with nonchalant diligence.

"Don't you remember any of this?" She groaned and turned around so she was lying on her stomach. "Come on, you've gotta remember something about Physics I, right?"

"Maybe I do." His pen kept pushing against paper, and she gave him a smug smile when he suddenly frowned and rapidly crossed out a piece of writing. The hand on his cheek was placed on his forehead, mimicking a demeanor of deep thought, but he carried on, nonetheless, "maybe I don't. Who knows?"

"Do you feel like eating pizza tonight, Dave? Or maybe another take-away?" She kicked her legs in the air, and he merely gazed at her out of the corner of his eye with suspicion. His pointed nose scrunched at her offer, and his lower lip was crushed by his upper teeth as his hand dropped the pen in its grasp and brushed against his lightly stubbly cheek before its owner heaved a sigh. Nails scratched skin at the discomfort the facial hair growing back caused. On closer inspection, she noticed that the old smoothness of his face had been replaced by the ruggedness that came with the constant sweep of the razor against skin and, even more, the boyish features he once held had become more masculine and less cute. Honestly, she would be lying if she said she did not find him attractive, now more than ever. He was the cute boy before, but now he was a really handsome young man and many girls were after his trail.

He shifted in his rotating chair, fully resting his weight against it. Letting the back of the seat slump backwards, David took a deep breath and stretched his arms with a satisfied grunt. "Ah, and since when do we trade things for favors, hmm?"

"Well, it's almost time to dinner." The girl rolled her eyes and shrugged. "I'm hungry, too, and I'm not going to get any study done with an empty stomach."

David turned the chair so he was facing her. His hazel eyes stared at her, always warm and playful in tone but there was something else– perhaps a bit of nervousness and stress in their depths. He looked a bit weary, tired, and for a moment she regretted having ever bothered him to help her not-so-bright self. However, it was not long before he gave her a smile and shook his head at her flushing face.

Her wide green eyes held a bit of confusion as her best friend nodded and stood up to walk in the direction of the small library he kept beside the desk. The books he had were mainly academic, though he owned some thriller novels, and even the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He said his Mother was very fond of it, and used to tell him tales about it before going to sleep. To be honest, from what David told her about the woman, she sounded like she had been a really sweet Mother and it made the young girl sad that she had met such a tragic end. Looking at the picture frame resting on his night-table, she spotted the portrait of his late parents with a two-year-old David. Though he bore a resemblance to his Father, there was no denying David was the spitting image of her.

David had always been an orderly young man, and kept his room and house neat. Even for two men living alone, she had to admit that their place was even tidier than her own bedroom would ever be. She was not a disaster, certainly, but she always took for granted that Mom would take care of things for her. David was not so lucky, unfortunately, and not only did he have to look after his needs but those of Mr. Woods', too. The proud Vietnam veteran would always protest at the idea of his nephew caring for him, of course, but in his handicapped condition there was nothing much he could do apart from grumbling and sulking in his disapproval.

Mr. Woods was intimidating, at a first glance. That had been her first thought when she met him that first night, years ago and she had barely could restrain herself from trembling when his blue eyes stared at her across the table. Even with the threatening aura he carried with him, the man had been very polite to her family and she came to learn he was a good and brave man who had served a country that had forgotten about him. There was pride in his gaze, but there was also a shadow that burned in the flames of hate. There was a deep anger and guilt forever engraved in it and, perhaps, that had been what had truly scared her.

He too had taken part in Operation Just Cause with David's late Father, with whom he had been best friends and not brothers as she had guessed and, sadly, that last mission had bounded him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Something about a psycho blowing Frank's kneecaps with a shotgun, David told her once, much to her dismay and horror. And, then, she understood; that his uncle would have every reason in the world to be grim and full of bitter words. She could only imagine the horrible scars he bore in body and soul, and held great respect for him for such strength of mind he had for, even then, he still had the will to smile at the young kid under his care. Mr. Woods was all for David, like he was one of his own flesh, and she could tell that David felt the same as he admired the old man and held a high opinion of him.

Being the son, grandson of Marines and raised by a Marine, it was evident that his decision to join the Armed Forces had everything to do with his wish to honor a military tradition. However, she suspected it had to be more than that; the fire in his eyes had to be fueled by something else than his simple aspiration to serve his country, too. But she dared not ask for fear that it would cause pain for him for, even then, she had the feeling there were secrets David would never tell her and they gave him no rest. Suddenly, there was a feeling of uneasiness in her gut nagging at her with the knowledge he would leave next year for the Naval Academy and she would not see him for a long time. Even tough David had promised they could write to each other, she could not help but think that it would not be the same again. Evenings together would be over; there would be no more going-outs and she would not see his smile again or his clear hazel eyes in the warm Sun. She would not hear his voice call out for her outside her house, when they went to school. No more lazy strolls from school to home, making small talk and just wishing time would stop. This realization had not dawned on her until now, and she felt bitter despair in her throat now .

"Your parents won't mind you're not home for dinner tonight?" His question interrupted her thoughts and she sat on the bed, clutching the side of her head as the blood rushed again. Pressing her legs together, her other hand closed her notebook and she sheepishly smiled at him.

"Nope," she scratched her nape and shook her head with far more enthusiasm than she would have liked to show. Realizing this, she tried to tone it down a bit. "I told Mom I would stay here for a while. She was okay with it."

She watched as David flicked through the pages of a book he had pulled out from a shelf and paced before her, humming his acknowledgment for her words. Once he found what he seemed to be looking for, the young man turned to her and approached her with his eyes uncharacteristically cast down. "Look, I'm not Albert Einstein when it comes to maths–"

"Physics."

He rolled his eyes at her, sitting by her a little closer than what she had expected. "Right, and what do you think you need to make use of to solve those pretty and friendly formulas you love so much?" Her breath caught in her throat, when his arm faintly brushed against her skin, which now burned. They were so close that the only thing she had to do was turning her neck just a bit so her lips could touch his. She was very tempted to do it; something in her asked her to do it, but her fears were even more stronger than they were enough to deter her from making that little dream come true.

"You've got a point there, I guess." She choked a response, instead, pulling herself together and nervously scratched the tip of her nose, avoiding his eyes.

"So, vector addition, isn't it?"

All of a sudden, the room had felt too hot as a small bead of sweat ran down her back, underneath her t-shirt."How did you–?"

"I felt the same despair back then and it made me want to tear my hair out." He brushed a hand against his face and made a grimace that she could not help but find really funny, as they shared a small laugh. "I could see the same misery in your eyes."

As soon as it appeared, her smile faded from her lips. Oh, how wrong he had been. He had mistaken her gloom for something else. The last thing in her mind had been the stupid sum of vectors she needed to revise for the upcoming Physics exam. In all honesty, now she was more concerned about other things, namely the male who slightly was leaning closer to her with a hesitant look in his gentle eyes. It would be so easy, yet she would regret it if she dared. Would she? Either way, he would be gone. David would leave her behind and would probably forget about her in time. Was that not reason enough to feel miserable, then? She certainly wanted for him to chase after his dreams but, at the same time, the girl dreaded to lose him. She knew it was selfish from her and that it was wrong, but she wished he would desist on that crazy idea of leaving to become a sailor. Was it really the idea of being alone which scared her? Her thoughts returned to Mr. Woods but, inevitably, they showed her his Father and the idea that David's life would meet a tragic end made her restless. And what if her friend died out there? She could not bear the thought of never seeing him again. Her heart would not be able to stand so much pain.

_If only she could tell him._

With an awkward cough he averted his gaze from hers and focused on finding some extra exercises so he could explain them to her. Trying to find a more comfortable place, they moved to the kitchen and, as they went downstairs, they heard Mr. Woods roar with laughter from the sitting room and the unmistakable sound of the TV displaying his favorite evening program. Dave shook his head, with a small smile on his lips, clearly amused, before telling her they would be having the food delivered that night. She immediately offered to pay for it, but he would have none of that so she could do nothing but help herself to some of the soda from the fridge, sit down and see David pick up the phone to order dinner.

Minutes later, they were seated together at the table and she was nervously chewing on the tip of her pencil, wondering how things would turn out if she dared to confide her feelings for him. It was impossible for her to concentrate with the buzz of her heartbeat in her ears, or the brush of his shoulder against hers; his breathing next to her neck as he brought his head closer and his smooth voice caressed her with an attentiveness she was certain he did not mean to bestow on her. She wondered if he would reciprocate or reject her with an apologetic excuse and sadness in his eyes. There was no doubt it would be the latter and she knew she could not afford that luxury, for he would never see her as something more than a good friend. Only a friend and nothing more.

But, perhaps, just once she could pretend for a little while, as her leg timidly sought to touch his, that he loved her the way she wished he did.

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_For those who are wondering about the vagueness in the description of the character, it was meant to be that way. She was meant to have no name, also, as it is a short story and I did not see the need to further explain more about her; she is just a random girl who could have been friends with Dave when he was a teenager._

_EDIT: Sorry! I got the "you" messed with the third person point of view! Sorry for that!_


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